Attention Shaver owners

[fletcher0780]

Fletcher, I have to say your right, and I was wrong the other day. The water heater plate is still sweating like crazy, I just noticed it today, all the other days it looked fine. So now I will pull it off and reseal the whole thing. thanks

Make sure you use high temp silicone (black or red, not the clear stuff- steam melts it)

Have any of you had problems with your thermostat on the back of your shaver going out? I had a fun early morning this morning. 3AM woke up to a very chilly house. Went to investigate and it ended up being a bad thermostat. ( this is my 2nd one to go bad in 1 week) the first one didn't even make it past the first 8 hour burn.

Any reasons why this could of happened?

I had the same problem, but mike stuck the blower on. I boiled about half the water out of my OWB over the last couple days. I threw that stupid thermostat in the trash and bought a digital programmable one for $50. I just installed it tonight, but already like it better. It's got a thermometer on it so you can actually thell the water temperature.

Do you guys always have steam coming out of the over flow pipe? It doesn't sound like it is boiling, and the thermostat is set to 150 degrees.

Thanks for any help.

Mine steams pretty regularly even when not boiling. The manual says it's normal. I asked ben about it and he said I can reverse the flow of my pump, pull water from the bottom of the tank. Unfortunately for me it's not that easy, I'd need to move my Y strainer, and really spend a lot of time re plumbing everything. I'll let you know what happens with the new thermostat.

 

[Dan-o]

Make sure you use high temp silicone (black or red, not the clear stuff- steam melts it)



I had the same problem, but mike stuck the blower on. I boiled about half the water out of my OWB over the last couple days. I threw that stupid thermostat in the trash and bought a digital programmable one for $50. I just installed it tonight, but already like it better. It's got a thermometer on it so you can actually thell the water temperature.

So how does the digital programmable one work? Do you have to drop a probe in the over flow?



Mine steams pretty regularly even when not boiling. The manual says it's normal. I asked ben about it and he said I can reverse the flow of my pump, pull water from the bottom of the tank. Unfortunately for me it's not that easy, I'd need to move my Y strainer, and really spend a lot of time re plumbing everything. I'll let you know what happens with the new thermostat.

I heard you wouldn't want to pull off the bottom of the boiler, b/c of the possiblity of pulling sediment through your pump.

What would happen if you capped the over flow off? would it just find another place to let steam out?

I would like to hear how your thermostat works for you!

 

[berry5]

i have a shaver the best way to add on to the chimney is use 5inch exhaust pipe it will slip right in to it. the steam i used a foot of 1 inch pex pipe bent it up and added a few 90 degree elbows with some more pex installed it on the over flow the steam comes up condenses and runs back in the stove you can slip it off and on to check the level the ashes i use a kids small shovel works great. i got the pipe from a big rig place it was scrap

 

[Windwalker7]

When you guys sealed your plate with high temp. silicone, did you just seal around the edges or did you put silicone between the plate and top of water jacket?

 

[fletcher0780]

I heard you wouldn't want to pull off the bottom of the boiler, b/c of the possiblity of pulling sediment through your pump.

What would happen if you capped the over flow off? would it just find another place to let steam out?

I would like to hear how your thermostat works for you!

I'm not going to change my plumbing setup, but might play with the pump speed. I wouldn't plug it, fearing a pressure build up.

i have a shaver the best way to add on to the chimney is use 5inch exhaust pipe it will slip right in to it. the steam i used a foot of 1 inch pex pipe bent it up and added a few 90 degree elbows with some more pex installed it on the over flow the steam comes up condenses and runs back in the stove you can slip it off and on to check the level the ashes i use a kids small shovel works great. i got the pipe from a big rig place it was scrap

Please post pics of your chimney and overflow tube if you have the ability.

 

[Windwalker7]

You guys that had trouble with your thermostats, did you snug up that bolt that holds the thermostat up against the water jacket? I'm assuming that is what that bolt was for.

 

[fletcher0780]

You guys that had trouble with your thermostats, did you snug up that bolt that holds the thermostat up against the water jacket? I'm assuming that is what that bolt was for.

Yup, I even wedged the opposite side to hold it in. I may end up drilling a hole and installing a well in the back for my new thermostat, but I'll see how this works first. It's taking a long time to heat up as every zone is calling for heat and I have my oil boiler locked out. in 8 hours the water went from 100* to 125*. Fire is roaring and I've added would twice since I refilled the boiler with water.

 

[mistergreentree]

I'd go 6-8' up at least. I had 8' on mine and it worked well before it clogged up.

How long did you have it on before it clogged? To clean do you remove and clean or is there a way to burn it out still on the stove?
I'm worried about putting on a 12' piece and then having it clog up in 2 weeks. It will weigh about 60lbs at 12' and probably won't be the easiest thing to heft up there.

 

[fletcher0780]

How long did you have it on before it clogged? To clean do you remove and clean or is there a way to burn it out still on the stove?
I'm worried about putting on a 12' piece and then having it clog up in 2 weeks. It will weigh about 60lbs at 12' and probably won't be the easiest thing to heft up there.

It clogged up in about 1 week, but it was 50-60* out so it wasn't burning very hard. I bet if you throw some cardboard in once a week it will burn out the pipe. I'm still resolving some other issues now, but once I do I think I'm going to get some 5" stovepipe to slide into the existing chimney, my 6" was a pain to seal up and may have caused some of my problems.

 

[fletcher0780]

When you guys sealed your plate with high temp. silicone, did you just seal around the edges or did you put silicone between the plate and top of water jacket?

I pulled off the plate, coated the seam all around on the firebox, put the plate in place, the sealed around the seam again. used an entire tube.

 

[Dan-o]

thermostat

You guys that had trouble with your thermostats, did you snug up that bolt that holds the thermostat up against the water jacket? I'm assuming that is what that bolt was for.

Yes I sure did on both of them, and wedged a piece of rubber in the other side to hold it in place.

 

[ngzcaz]

Well, if Ben is monitoring this site, perhaps an upgrade on the thermostat is in order and if the problems are as numerous as they seems, it should be a free upgrade. If we wouldn't be reading this, who would have a spare thermostat in the middle of a snowstorm ? Worse yet, how much is this thing off in actual readings ? Which brings up a question, Harbor Freight has a non contact thermometer and also an infrared one. Would one or both work by checking the pex pipe coming out of the owb ? How do they work ?

Regarding increasing the length of the chimney, insulated pipe, a costly option, would go a long way to help the creosote problem although in the summer and off months, its just burning too slowly. The hotter the chimney the better.

*** Since the pipe is used for lifting the owb, ( 1/4 inch I think ) an occasional couple of raps on the top of the pipe after the draft motor has been on a while might dislodge the creosote allowing to fall in the firebox and allow it to re burn for a bit more efficiency and less work cleaning the chimney pipe. Who wants to go thru the nonsense of pushing a chimney brush in the middle of winter ? It worked on a 1/4 pipe I had on my old wood stove, a 40 oz ball peen being the hammer of choice.
Shaver didnt say anything but I think they would frown on the fireplace creosote eating logs and chemicals you see advertised. Probably eats the steel..

:greenchainsaw:

 

[projectsho89]

It appears Ben has gone MIA. He hasn't replied to my email from two weeks ago and doesn't appear to have posted anything around here since before that.

A non-contact-thermometer IS an infra-red (IR) unit (and vice-versa). It detects the wavelength and intensity of the IR energy emitted by an emitting "body" and converts that to a reading in degrees. I have one from Sears that I picked up several years ago for $40 or $50. I've found it to be really handy in working on car's cooling and climate control systems. I suspect it will be very useful with the OWB.


Still waiting, probably be another month.... Meanwhile, burning propane.

Steve

 

[ngzcaz]

Well.......... my splitter is an old 10 pounder that I got tired of breaking wooden handles with so I welded a piece of pipe on the head. 10 years and counting, no more problems although its a bit heavy for a 63 year old going thru 8 or more cords of wood a year.

 

[mistergreentree]

It clogged up in about 1 week, but it was 50-60* out so it wasn't burning very hard. I bet if you throw some cardboard in once a week it will burn out the pipe. I'm still resolving some other issues now, but once I do I think I'm going to get some 5" stovepipe to slide into the existing chimney, my 6" was a pain to seal up and may have caused some of my problems.

Well, I got the 12' piece up there and it really helps. I just took a piece of 1/4" plate steel and cut a 4 1/2" hole in it...inserted my extension and welded them together about a foot from one end. Then I put the new extension on the existing pipe and the plate seals up the small gap between the two. I'm going to do the cardboard thing to try to keep it cleaned out...really don't want to have to take that thing down till spring.

I have another question for you guys...how much wood are you loading into your stove each time. I'm trying to figure out if I need to fill to the top each time or half or a few good chunks or what? I've done the fill to the top a time or two and man I have a lot of gunk at the door when I open it the next morning.
Thanks.

 

[ngzcaz]

I'll find out in a week ( I hope ) when this thing is finally hooked up. However,
common sense would dictate that one shouldn't fill it too close to the door. It may clog up the grates with ash impending or stopping the airflow to the wood.
Maybe that stupid poker is meant to keep pulling the wood onto the grates when it can fall down to the ash bin but not so far that it would create a problem.
In other words load it to the back where the chimney is and then pull it forward as needed. Of course, I could be completely wrong and change my mind if someone with actual experience has different ideas.

:greenchainsaw:

 

[John D]

Im patiently waiting for my Shaver 165, ordered in June,and still not here yet :censored: . I appreciate the tips and info in this thread,I will keep a close eye on the t stat,and plan accordingly. I want to monitor temps from my house,I threw an extra 4" drain pipe in the trench,in case I want to run anything to the OWB in the future,also ran a 1" sch 40 conduit so id have room for more wires if needed. If anyone who has an OWB has a suggestion for me,as far as what extra to run to the OWB,Id appreciate it.

 

[fletcher0780]

Well, I got the 12' piece up there and it really helps. I just took a piece of 1/4" plate steel and cut a 4 1/2" hole in it...inserted my extension and welded them together about a foot from one end. Then I put the new extension on the existing pipe and the plate seals up the small gap between the two. I'm going to do the cardboard thing to try to keep it cleaned out...really don't want to have to take that thing down till spring.

Let us know how it works

I have another question for you guys...how much wood are you loading into your stove each time. I'm trying to figure out if I need to fill to the top each time or half or a few good chunks or what? I've done the fill to the top a time or two and man I have a lot of gunk at the door when I open it the next morning.
Thanks.

I think it really depends on the weather and your heating load. I would think loading as little as possible, but enough to ensure the ire doesn't go out is the way to go. That way you can pull your coals and ashes forward to un-bury to bottom of the chimney. I've got a 290, so my firebox is almost twice as deep as yours though.

On another topic, I cleaned out my ash pan for the first time and I'm not sure why everyone is complaining. The ashes were very fine and clean, I used a small rake upside down and let the ashes spill out on the pad, then simply shoveled them in a bucket. I'm going to look for a nice low pan to pull the ashes into to eliminate the shoveling. After about 1 month of use I have about a 5 gallon bucket of fine ash from the pan and a 4-6" layer of as/coals on the bottom of the firebox.

 

[fletcher0780]

Im patiently waiting for my Shaver 165, ordered in June,and still not here yet :censored: . I appreciate the tips and info in this thread,I will keep a close eye on the t stat,and plan accordingly. I want to monitor temps from my house,I threw an extra 4" drain pipe in the trench,in case I want to run anything to the OWB in the future,also ran a 1" sch 40 conduit so id have room for more wires if needed. If anyone who has an OWB has a suggestion for me,as far as what extra to run to the OWB,Id appreciate it.

I ran a couple 5 conductor 18 gauge thermostat wires for various sensor, etc.

My Ranco thermostat seams to be working well, but it reads about 15* lower than the actual water temperature do to the probe being held against the water tank with the original thermostat bolt. I have my fan off set at 165* (actual temp 180*) and my fan on at 150* (actual temp 165*) I'll see how this works for now and if the 15* difference remains constant. I think at some point I might drill a hole in the water tank where the thermostat goes and if there is enough material, thread a aquastat well into it to get a more accurate reading. I could always weld a female threaded pipe in and screw my well into that, or remove the domestic water heater cover and put a washer/nut on the backside of the well, but that will suck because I siliconed the crap out of it.

 

[mistergreentree]

Let us know how it works


I think it really depends on the weather and your heating load. I would think loading as little as possible, but enough to ensure the ire doesn't go out is the way to go. That way you can pull your coals and ashes forward to un-bury to bottom of the chimney. I've got a 290, so my firebox is almost twice as deep as yours though.

On another topic, I cleaned out my ash pan for the first time and I'm not sure why everyone is complaining. The ashes were very fine and clean, I used a small rake upside down and let the ashes spill out on the pad, then simply shoveled them in a bucket. I'm going to look for a nice low pan to pull the ashes into to eliminate the shoveling. After about 1 month of use I have about a 5 gallon bucket of fine ash from the pan and a 4-6" layer of as/coals on the bottom of the firebox.

I'll keep you guys posted on the extension and will try to get pics on here soon.

I'm trying to load as far behind the door as possible. I'm getting my coal/ash bed established now and see what you mean as far as pulling it forward to the grate. Thanks for the response.

I've emptied my ash pan once and used a kids shovel...not that bad really.